Fiftieth Report - Defence Equipment Plan 2020–2030
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 693
16 March 2021
Government Response (AI assessment · 27 of 27 classified)
Accepted
22
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fiftieth report from Session 2019-21 · published 31 Aug 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Defence on the Equipment Plan 2020–2030.1
Government Response Summary
The government broadly acknowledges the context of the report, confirming an increase in defence spending, and states that the next Equipment Plan report (Autumn 2021) will set out how this has improved the affordability of the plan.
HM Treasury
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13
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department acknowledged that its plans for achieving efficiency savings—which are based on thousands of...
Conclusion
The Department acknowledged that its plans for achieving efficiency savings—which are based on thousands of initiatives on equipment projects—did not always deliver the expected returns. It told us that it has introduced more rigorous scrutiny of savings proposals to help …
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Government Response Summary
The committee's conclusion noted that efficiency savings often failed to deliver expected returns and that the Department lacked confidence in achieving future savings. The government's response, agreeing with a 'recommendation', stated that the next Equipment Plan report would detail planned efficiency savings but primarily focused on improving risk assessment in projects, without outlining new specific initiatives to secure efficiencies.
HM Treasury
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17
Conclusion
Acknowledged
In November 2020, the government announced that it would provide an additional £16.5 billion of...
Conclusion
In November 2020, the government announced that it would provide an additional £16.5 billion of funding over the next four years, which represents a 10% increase in the defence budget over this period.45 The Department said that HM Treasury has …
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Government Response Summary
The government provides updated figures on defence spending and confirms the 2020 Spending Review settlement will allow for the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper. It explains that the funding will balance ambition and resources, with decisions to retire older capabilities and improve financial management, and commits to setting out implications in the Autumn 2021 Equipment Plan.
HM Treasury
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21
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department assured us that it has been closely involved in the Integrated Review and...
Conclusion
The Department assured us that it has been closely involved in the Integrated Review and it had a clear view on the priorities and roles that Defence would need to play in the future. It highlighted the increasing threat from …
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Government Response Summary
The government published the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper in March 2021, outlining key spending and investment decisions. The department will provide the Committee with a summary of investment and savings decisions before summer recess and publish the annual Equipment Plan in Autumn 2021.
HM Treasury
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